A: Jesus said this a number of times (Mt 8:4)(Mt 9:30)(Mt 12:16)(Mt 17:9)(Mk 1:13,44)(Mk 5:43)(Mk 7:36)(Mk 8:26)(Lk 8:56), and it was early in His ministry. Three reasons are possible:

1. Jesus knew the people were expecting the Messiah to be a man who would come in power to overthrow the ruling bodies and become king. If word got out about the miracles He was doing, the people might try to push Him into this role. (I believe this is why Judas betrayed Jesus.)

2. If word got out about Him, they might try to kill Jesus before His appointed time.

3. If word got around about His healing, people might focus on that instead of His message. He wanted time to explain why He came, and to reveal God to us.

     Both #1 and #2 are possible, but it appears to me that Jesus knew how His life would unfold, and when His appointed time to die would come (Jn 13:1)(Jn 7:6-8)(Jn 12:23,27)(Mk 14:35-41)(Mt 26:18)(Jn 16:32)(Jn 17:1)(Mt 26:45)(Jn 2:4), so that would rule out His concern about those things. We can also see He escaped danger in the Temple because His “hour was not yet come” (Jn 7:30)(Jn 8:20). Therefore, I personally see #3 as the most likely reason.

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